Pope's invitation to Anglicans: poisoned chalice?

As the leader of the largest Christian denomination on earth, whenever Pope Benedict XVI makes a significant declaration, especially one touching on other denominations, controversy inevitably erupts faster than the speed of light.

Since the Apostolic Constitution entitled “Anglicanorum Coetibus” was published on 4th November, there has been an unprecedented debate on its meaning and potential implications not only to Anglicans but Catholics as well. Does the new Vatican edict vindicate the claims of some disgraced former Catholic priests that celibacy has failed in the Catholic Church and that it is only a matter of time before it disappears completely from the canon books? Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Pope expressly states in the outset of the document that the decision to admit Anglicans into the Catholic Church was in response to the many Anglicans who have in recent years “repeatedly and insistently” petitioned the Holy See for readmission into the Catholic Church under an arrangement which allows them to become Catholics but preserve some of their most cherished Anglican traditions provided that such traditions are not inconsistent with the norms of the Catholic Church.

There should therefore be no speculation that in the backdrop of falling vocations in the Catholic Church and the defection of errant priests, the Pope is attempting to seal the deficit by opportunistically casting a bait to Anglican pastors who are disgruntled by the current developments in their own church.

It cannot be denied, of course, that the Anglican Church is currently experiencing an internecine strife over three controversial issues which have, for all practical purposes, torn the Anglican Communion right down the middle, namely the ordination of homosexuals, blessing of same sex unions and the ordination of women. It is a matter of public knowledge that many conservative Anglicans and their leaders have opposed their own church’s official position on these issues and threatened to break away from the Communion. Their resolve was recently demonstrated by the mass boycott of the once-a-decade Lambeth Conference by the provinces opposed to the said issues including the Anglican Church of Kenya. Coincidentally, the opposition to those issues resonates perfectly well with the stance of the Catholic Church on the same.

It is not the Pope who has approached the disaffected Anglicans to join the Catholic Church. The opposite is indeed the case as is clear from the carefully selected wording of the document.

Perhaps a more legitimate question is: why the Catholic Church instead of one of the other protestant churches? The reality, which is not always appreciated, is that despite being protestant, the Anglican Church (especially the ‘high Anglican’ and the American Episcopalians) has more in common with the Catholic Church than it does with other protestant churches.

Since its ignominious split from the Catholic Church five centuries ago, the Anglican Church has, unlike the other protestant churches, retained a substantial body of Catholic doctrine, liturgy and tradition in its practices, resulting in a considerable overlap in the practices of the two churches. Anglicans therefore identify more with the traditions of the Catholic Church than those of the other more evangelical protestant churches.

Another perhaps little known fact is that it is not true that the Catholic Church does not currently have married priests within its clerical ranks. The reality is that the current Papal directive only legalizes what is already in place. There are many married former Episcopalian pastors in America serving as priests of the Catholic Church by the authority of the Pope. Indeed the Pope himself confirms this position when he says in the Apostolic Constitution that as the successor of Peter, charged with the mandate of unifying the church of Christ, he could not possibly have turned down requests from such pastors to rejoin the Catholic Church.

How then, will the new arrangement work? The document provides that any Anglican clergy and their faithful who desire to be united with the Catholic Church can apply to the Pope for the creation of their own diocese (called “ordinariate”). This diocese will be under the pastoral care and guidance of a bishop (called the “ordinary”). Unlike other Catholic dioceses which are defined by geographical boundaries, the new ordinariate will have jurisdiction over all the Anglican faithful wherever they may be within the ordinary Catholic dioceses (it will be akin to the military ordinariate which, under Bishop Alfred Rotich, provides pastoral care to members of the military and their families wherever they may be within Kenya).

The bishop will be appointed by the Pope from among the unmarried former Anglican pastors because the Catholic Church does not allow bishops to be married. Indeed, any Anglican bishop who chooses to transit to the Catholic Church under this arrangement will have to contend with being an ordinary priest. The new bishop will enjoy all the privileges of a Catholic Bishop including paying a visit to the Pope every five years to brief him on the affairs of his diocese.

With regard to religious observances and practices, the new diocese will be free to conduct its services according to the Anglican tradition provided such tradition is not inconsistent with the norms of the Catholic Church. Indeed, while the diocese is free to celebrate sacraments and liturgies according to the Catholic tradition, it cannot exclude the Catholic liturgical celebrations.

Regarding celibacy, the document is clear that while the Pope may “on a case by case” basis, allow certain married Anglican pastors to be ordained as priests of the Catholic Church, the celibacy rule is absolute for the priesthood within the ordinariate. In fact, candidates for priesthood from the Anglican ordinariate must take the vow of celibacy unless specifically dispensed by the Pope. They will attend the same seminaries as the candidates from the mainstream Catholic Church subject only to receiving limited in-house formation from their bishop on Anglican traditions.

It should so far be clear that apart from Anglicans, no other persons or groups can join the ecclesiastical ranks of the Catholic Church by means of this Apostolic Constitution. The law is designed specifically for Anglicans in response to their own request to the Pope. Therefore, none of the married Catholic priests can be readmitted to office by virtue of this document. Similarly, no married Catholic man can become a priest under the provisions of the new law.

So, does the new papal law herald a merger or coalition between the Catholic and Anglican churches? Absolutely not. It is worth remembering, however, that as currently constituted, the Catholic Church breathes with two lungs, namely, the Latin and Eastern Rites both of which, while keeping different liturgical traditions, are subject to the Petrine Ministry headed by the Bishop of Rome. By analogy then, the inclusion of a section of the Anglican Communion into the fold merely adds a third step-brother to the Catholic fraternity which is not necessarily a bad thing considering that in the scheme of Providence the more the merrier.

The writer is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.